Plastic bags for packaging products, such as loaf bread, are typically supplied to a packaging operation in stacks retained on wire wickets. Each of the bags is typically provided with a pair of holes, with each wicket including a pair of arms arranged in generally parallel relationship. Stacks of the bags are arranged on the wire wickets such that the arms of the wickets extend through the holes in each bag. In this fashion, stacks of bags can be efficiently handled.
Individual plastic bags are normally manufactured in a configuration which includes the desired spaced holes for receiving an associated wicket therethrough. Apparatus are known which effect stacking of the individual bags, such as on a pair of pins or the like, so that the bags are positioned in alignment with each other for disposition of a wicket through the holes in the bags. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,690, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,478, hereby incorporated by reference, each disclose an arrangement for effecting stacking of bags on a pair of pins, and subsequent placement of a wicket through the aligned holes of the bags.
As will be appreciated, the type of automated machinery for effecting stacking and conveyance of bags, or like articles, having holes for receiving an associated wire wicket, is preferably configured to accommodate bags of varying sizes, including differently spaced holes for receiving the wicket. In some instances, it has been necessary to individually adjust stack-carrying assemblies on a piece of equipment in order to configure the equipment for differently sized bags, with differently spaced holes. The present invention is directed to a conveying- apparatus, such as for conveying stacks of plastic bags, wherein a plurality of wire wicket holding assemblies of the apparatus, each including a pair of support arms, can be simultaneously and efficiently adjusted for handling bags having differently spaced wicket-receiving holes.